21 Again

Last night I joined seven others in drinking out of an octo-bong–a wide plastic funnel with eight clear rubber tubes. The master of the ceremonies at this particular house party held up the octo-bong, and we all took a tube. After removing the plastic top that held back the beer in the tube, the funnel was raised and we all bent our knees, put our heads back, and drank up. As a virgin octo-bonger, I’m proud to say I was the first to finish my tube of beer.

My friend, who kindly agreed to join me for a happy hour, a birthday party at Fado’s in Chinatown, and a house party in Dupont, got quite the kick out of the news that I had never even seen an octo-bong. To my credit, she is a graduate of a Big Ten school and I went to small liberal arts colleges for my two degrees. We had other kinds of bongs around, just not the octo-bong.

My bong hit of Bud Light capped off a night of Blue Moon, Hoegaarden, a Lemon Drop shot, a Red-Headed Slut shot, and Blue Point Summer Ale (a Long Island ale I had never had before. I would recommend to anyone who likes summer ales).

And though the hangover was a little rougher then I’m used to, it was totally worth it.

The word I would use to describe last night is free. Not free as in no cost. Free as in I was single and truly loving it. I smoked two cigarettes at the party (my mom is going to read this and kill me). I was never a smoker, but during and after college, every once in awhile I enjoyed a Marlboro Light from a friend if I had been drinking. I stopped doing that because my boyfriend said he wouldn’t kiss me at the end of the night if I smoked. I thought that was fair. Three years later, and on my own again, it was a strangely amazing feeling when I was offered a cigarette and could say yes. I don’t think it’s a habit I’ll pick up again, but I savored that moment.

When I was 21 I would have been back at it again tonight. But I’m not 21, and I don’t want to pretend to be. So instead I watched a movie with my roommate and wrote in my blog. I will be in bed by midnight so I can go to yoga at 9 a.m.

But next week my childhood best friend and her sister are coming to town. The Quarry House and the Piratz Tavern await. Let the adventure continue.